Santee Lakes

January 6, 2018 (Santee) – From fishing events to movies, concerts, and holiday celebrations, you’ll find lots of activities coming up in the New Year at Santee Lakes—starting with Trout Re-Opener days on January 13 and 14, when the lakes will be stocked with 2,000 pounds of rainbow trout.

December 3, 2017 (Santee) — Santa comes to Santee Lakes on Sunday, December 10 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Children can also delight in meeting favorite characters from Star Wars and Disney movies on Storybook Island, sliding down Snow Hill, crafts, face painting, carnival rides and rides on ponies, tractors and a train.

April 17, 2017 (Santee) – Santee Lakes is an idyllic place to let kids enjoy the simple pleasures of childhood. On a sunny afternoon over spring break, kids at the lakes gleefully discovered their inner Tom Sawyer or Becky Thatcher.

I spotted a group of kids piloting a pedal boat around one of several islands in the lake. A large Canada Goose skidded to a water landing in front of another pedal boat, where a startled dad snapped photos while his kids looked on, pointing with delight.

May 20, 2016 (Santee) – The Santee Firefighters Fishing Derby will be held on Saturday, June 25 at Padre Dam’s Santee Lakes (Lake 3 and 4, Area G) from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. Derby participants will receive a free day permit, worms, raffle ticket, hot dog lunch and free door prizes while they last.

March 3, 2016 (Santee) - Santee Lakes invites you to bring the kids for its annual Eggstravaganza on Saturday, March 26th from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. This fun-filled event features continuous egg hunts, live entertainment, a petting zoo, craft booths and carnival rides, all hosted by the Padre Dam Municipal Water District and the City of Santee.

May 28, 2015 (Santee) -- Santee Lakes invites you to drop your line for night fishing. Lakes 1, 2, 3 and 4 will be open for night fishing on June 4 and 18, July 16 and 30, August 13 and 27 from 5 p.m. to 11 :30 p.m.

Bring a lantern--but no radios please, to keep the lake quiet for best fishing.

February 3, 2015 (Santee Lakes) - Santee Lakes will be stocking lakes two and three with 1,000 pounds of trout on Friday, February 6th – bringing the total of Rainbow Trout planted in the lake since November to a whopping 10,500 pounds. For fishing information, you can visit www.SanteeLakes.com.

December 31, 2014 (Santee) - If you love to fish, you may want to mark your calendars for the Trout Reopener at Santee Lakes on January 10th and 11th, when the lakes will be stocked with two thousand pounds of rainbow trout.

August 8, 2014 (Lake Murray) --Always dazzling when you see them with their long S-shaped necks, usually standing motionless, they look as if they are in stealth mode. The Great Blue Heron is one of our largest, most majestic birds in the East County.

May 28, 2014 (Santee Lakes) - If you’re angling for a fish dinner—or just enjoy catch and release, you may want to check out Santee Lakes, where night fishing kicks off on June 12th. There are a total of six night fishing dates coming up: June 12th and 26th, July 20th and 24th, and August 7th from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Lakes 1, 2, 3 and 4.

April 24, 2014 (Santee)-- Amid growing residents’ concerns, Santee Lakes park administrators dropped the proposed plan for a recreational zip line, removing it from a proposed master plan. After meeting with community members, staff decided it would be in the best interests of the residents and the park to keep incursions into the peaceful out-door serenity to a minimum. Many Santee resident were outspoken in their protests against the addition of a zip line for fears that it would endanger wildlife and increase noise, traffic, and parking problems, leading to over-commercialization of the natural beauty at the lakes.

April 23, 2014 (Santee) – You’re invited to the 13th annual Wil Wilson Memorial Spring Valley Lions Club Kids Fishing Derby this Saturday, April 26. T he derby will take place on Lake 4. Check in at 6:30 am ends at 11:00 am. Awards will be given for the biggest fish, smallest fish, and most fish. A barbecue lunch follows the Awards Ceremony.

November 26, 2013 (SanteE)--Santa and snow are in the forecast on Sunday, December 8th from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the annual Santa at the Lakes EVENT at Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve. You'll find plenty of snow for sledding, Santa visits, and s’mores around the fire as highlights of this year’s event.

March 20, 2013 (Santee) – Padre Dam Municipal Water District’s Board of Directors unanimously approved a $1 per month lease agreement for the Santee Teen Center located at Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve. The City of Santee requested the $1.00 per month lease payment for the Teen Center building due to funding shortfalls for the Teen Center Program.

January 17, 2013 (Santee)—A man’s body was found floating in the water at Santee Lakes this morning.

ECM news partner 10 News reports that workers opening a locked gate at 8:30 spotted a blue cap floating in the water. A parked vehicle with keys on the dashboard was also found nearby, Santee Patch reports. The body was partially submerged at the edge of Lake One.

November 26, 2012 (Santee) – Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve will be holding Santa at the Lakes on December 9 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be snow for sledding, pony rides, a petting zoo, carnival rides and craft booths. The star of the event will be Santa.

Parking is $5 per vehicle and activity and ride tickets are 50 cents each. For moe information call 619-596-3141 or visit www.santeelakes.com.

November 25, 2012 (Santee) – The Santee Lakes Foundation, in concert with San Diego State University, SDG&E and the Santee Lakes Preserve presents the inaugural “Lighting at the Lakes – 2012” December 8 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Lake One under the new Pavilion.

March 27, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)-- You might ask what a Pelican is doing inland at any of these East County Lakes: Lake Murray, Lake Jennings, Santee Lakes and Lindo Lake. Most people associate Pelicans with the sea coast, as do I. When I see Pelicans at La Jolla Cove it seems perfectly natural and there are always plenty of them to be seen. Of the two species of Pelicans in our area, The Brown Pelican and the American White Pelican, it’s the American White Pelican that is frequently seen at and around our lakes in the East County.

February 14, 2012 (Lake Murray) -- One of the royalty members of the skies in the bird world is the Osprey. The king of raptors may go to the Bald Eagle, but on an equal hierarchy as the Eagle is the magnificence Sea Hawk, Fish Hawk, Sea Eagle-- more commonly known today as the Osprey.

January 16, 2012 (Lindo Lake) -- The latest poser for my Canon was this beautiful Mandarin Duck on January 14. On a cold, cloudy Saturday morning at the water’s edge at Lindo Lake it was my first new bird of the year 2012! This is the first time I’ve seen a Mandarin Duck in the wild.